Electrical Liquid-Heating Appliance

ABSTRACT

An electrical household liquid-heating appliance includes a housing ( 10 ), electrical heating elements, a switch, a button ( 16 ) pivotable about an axis between an on position and an off position and having an actuation surface, and a switch actuation lever ( 28 ) movable between an operative position in which the switch is closed and an inoperative position in which the switch is open. The button ( 16 ) is biased into a so-called neutral intermediate position by a resilient member.

The present invention relates to electrical apparatus for heatingliquid, such as for example an electric kettle.

More particularly, the invention relates to an electric apparatus forheating liquid comprising a housing, electrical heating means, a switchfor triggering electrical heating means, a button which is arranged inan opening provided in the housing, and which has an actuating surfaceand a finger secured to each other, the button being swingably mountedabout an axis, between an on position and an off position, and anactuating lever for the switch having a first end connected to thefinger and a second end connected to the switch, the lever being movablebetween an active position in which the switch is closed and an inactiveposition in which the switch is open, the lever being disposed in activeposition by swinging of the button to the on position and to theinactive position by swinging of the button to the off position.

At present, apparatus of this type, such as kettles, have swingablebuttons which project from the housing when they are in the on and/oroff position. The buttons can thus have problems of sealing against dirtand liquid. Moreover, foreign bodies can lodge behind the button,thereby preventing its swinging toward the off or on position.

The present invention has particularly for its object to overcome thesedrawbacks.

To this end, according to the invention, an electric apparatus of thetype in question is characterized in that the button is returned by atleast one resilient member into an intermediate so-called neutralposition, between the on position and the off position, and in that theconnection between the first end of the lever and the finger is a looseconnection adapted to permit free swinging of the button between the onposition and the neutral position when the lever is in its activeposition, and free swinging of the button between the off position andthe neutral position when the lever is in its inactive position.

Thanks to these arrangements, the button always returns to the neutralposition after actuation to the start or stop position, the actuatinglever remaining in active or inactive position. As a result, in additionto any actuation, the button remains in its neutral position, offeringleveling of the actuating surface of the button with the opening of thehousing in which it is mounted; this permits improving the sealingbetween the button and the housing, as well as safety of operation ofthe apparatus by avoiding any undesirable actuation of the button.Moreover, such a construction has a desirable appearance. Moreover, thefree clearance between the button and the lever permits passage, forexample triggered by a thermostatic cutoff, of the lever from the activeposition toward the inactive position, even if the button is blocked inthe neutral position by a foreign body.

In various embodiments of the electric household apparatus according tothe invention, there can if desired be used one and/or the other of thefollowing arrangements:

-   -   the actuating surface of the button, in its neutral position, is        flush with the housing;    -   the first end of the lever comprises a window in which the        finger is movable, the length of the window being at least equal        to the amplitude of the clearance of the finger from the neutral        position toward respectively the stop and start positions, and        less than the amplitude of clearance of the finger between the        off position and the on position;    -   the resilient return member is formed by a spring fixed on the        button and having arms whose respective ends bear against the        housing in the neutral position of the button;    -   the housing comprises a handle provided with the opening in        which is disposed the button;    -   the opening and the actuating surface of the button are of        oblong shape, and the swinging axis is arranged in a transverse        medial plane passing between the longitudinal ends of said        actuating surface;    -   the apparatus comprises a thermostat sensitive to the        temperature of the liquid contained in the enclosure, said        thermostat comprising control means adapted to place the lever        in the inactive position when the temperature measured by the        thermostat is greater than a threshold value;    -   the control means comprise a sensor adapted to come into contact        between an electrical supply base of the apparatus and adapted        to place the lever in the inactive position when the apparatus        is not in place on the supply base;    -   the apparatus is constituted by a kettle.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description of one of its modes ofembodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, with respect to theattached drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an apparatus according to theinvention, showing the button mechanism within a handle of theelectrical apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of the button in the onposition,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 in which the button is in neutralposition,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 in which the button is the offposition.

In the different figures, the same reference numerals designatedidentical or similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a view of an apparatus according to the invention, here shownby an electric kettle. This kettle comprises a housing 10 whichcomprises a chamber 12 adapted to be filled with the liquid to be heatedand a handle 14 permitting the user to grasp the kettle and to pour theliquid. So as to heat the liquid, the kettle comprises electricalheating means such as an electric resistance connected to a switch 15for its supply of the electricity. The switch 15 comprises an electricaloutlet provided for supplying the heating means and is connected to anelectrical source.

The kettle also comprises a button 16 which is arranged in an opening 17provided in the handle 14, and which has an actuating surface 18 onwhich the user can act to actuate the switch, so as to heat the liquidor turn off the kettle. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the actuatingsurface 18 of the button 16 has a substantially oblong shape, whichextends between two ends 18 a, 18 b; the opening 17 also has an oblongshape. The button 16 also comprises a finger 20 which is secured to itsactuating surface 18, and which is disposed in a plane substantiallyparallel to that formed by the actuating surface 18. The button 16 ismounted swingably about an axis X disposed in a transverse medial planepassing between the longitudinal ends 18 a, 18 b of the actuatingsurface 18 of the button 16. This button 16 swings between an onposition in which it closes the switch 15 and an off position in whichit opens the switch 15 to de-actuate a heating. This button swings on asupport 22 having one end of U shape on which two lugs located on theinterior surface of the button bear.

The button 16 moreover comprises resilient return means 26 which returnit to be an intermediate so-called neutral position. These resilientmeans are formed by a spring 26 comprised by two arms 26 a, 26 bdisposed in a V, and whose respective ends bear on the housing 10 intheir rest position which corresponds to the neutral position of thebutton 16. The spring 26 permits returning the button 16 into itsneutral position between the on position and the off position. Thespring 26 is fixed on the button 16 about a pivot 27 whose axis issubstantially parallel to the swinging axis X of said button 16.

An actuating lever 28 is disposed between the button 16 and the switch15. It has a first end 30 connected to the finger 20 of the button and asecond end 32 connected to the switch. Under the action the swingingbutton 16, the lever 28 is driven with a movement of translation in thedirection of the switch. The second end 32 of the lever acts on themechanical output of the switch 15. Thus, the movement of the lever 28triggers the opening or closing of the switch 15.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the first end 30 of the lever 28 connectedto the finger 20 of the button 16, has a window 34 in which a portion 36of the finger 20 is movable. This window 34 has an upper edge 38 and alower edge 40 separated by a length L. The length L of this window isless than the swinging amplitude of the finger 20 between the offposition and the on position. The amplitude of swinging of the finger 20is equal to the shortest distance connecting the two ends of the arc ofa circle described by the finger 20 between the off position and the onposition. Thus the button 16 moves the lever 28, by bearing on the loweredge 40 or on the upper edge 38, toward an inactive position and towardan active position, respectively. However, the length L of the window 34is at least equal to the maximum amplitude of the clearances of thefinger 20 from the neutral position toward respectively the on and offpositions. In the illustrated example, each of these clearances has asubstantially equal amplitude.

The three positions of the button 16 are shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 inwhich FIG. 2 shows the button 16 in its on position in which the buttonhas swung toward the first end 18 a of its actuating surface. FIG. 3shows the button in its neutral position. And FIG. 4 shows the button inits off position in which the button has swung toward the second end 18b of its actuating surface. The ends each have a marking indicating tothe user on which end he should press to start or stop heating. Thebutton 16 swings between these three positions and the portion 36 of thefinger 20 inserted in the window 34 describes the arc of a circle whoselength depends on the swinging of the button, which is to say on itsangle of rotation relative to its initial position.

In the neutral position, the portion 36 of the finger 20 of the buttonfloats in its window 34 of the actuating lever 28 as shown in FIG. 3.The button 16 is thus held in equilibrium thanks to the spring 26 whoseends of the arms 26 a, 26 b each bear on the housing 10.

The invention operates as described below.

To start the kettle, the user presses on the first end 18 a of theactuating surface 18 of the button 16 and causes its swinging in a firstdirection. The finger 20 of the button 16 secured to the actuatingsurface 18 is thus driven in this first direction of swinging and movesin the window 34 of the actuating lever 28. Given that the length L ofthe window 34 is less than the amplitude of clearance of the finger 20between the off and on positions, the finger 20 thus bears on the upperedge 38 of the window 34 during its swinging and drives the lever 28until the end of the path of the swinging of the button. The lever 28 isthus moved toward its active position, and if desired beyond, and actson the switch so it will be in the closed position and permits thepassage of the current to supply the electrical heating means so as toheat the liquid within the chamber 12.

When the user bears on the second end 18 b of the actuating surface 18,the button 16 swings in a second direction opposite to the firstdirection and the portion 36 of the finger 20 of the button 16 thendescribes an arc of a circle in the window 34 of the lever 28. Duringits movement, the portion of the finger 20 bears on the lower edge 40 ofthe window 34 and thus exerts on it a bearing force to move theactuating lever 28 toward its inactive position. The actuating lever 28thus acts on the switch to place it in the open position and stops theelectrical supply for the electrical heating means of the kettle.

When the button 16 is in its on or off position, the arms 26 a, 26 b ofthe spring 26 are thus stressed between their point of securement to thebutton 16 and their point of contact with the housing 10. The spring 26tends to return to its equilibrium position and hence to return thebutton 16 to its neutral position. The neutral position is renderedpossible thanks to the window 34 of the lever 28 in which the portion 36of the finger 20 of the button 16 can swing. The button 16 is thus heldin neutral position only thanks to the arms 26 a, 26 b of the spring 26,each arm end being in bearing relation against the housing 10. Theportion 36 of the finger 20 thus floats in the window 34 of theactuating lever 28 because the length L of the window 34 is at leastequal to the amplitude of swinging of the finger 20 from its neutralposition toward its on position or its off position. The connectionbetween the lever 28 and the finger 20 is thus a loose connectionadapted to permit free clearance of the button 16 between the onposition and the neutral position when the lever 28 is in an activeposition.

Similarly, when the button 16 is in the off position, one of the arms 26a of the spring 26 is stressed by the swinging of the button, and tendsto return it to the equilibrium position. The spring 26 drives duringits retreat the swinging of the button 16 to return it to the neutralposition. The portion 36 of the finger 20 remains floating in the window34 of the actuating lever 28 in the neutral position.

In the neutral position, the actuating surface 18 of the button 16 isflush with the handle 14 of the kettle as shown in FIG. 1. The actuatingsurface 18 of the button 16 has a curvature which gives to the button 16the same level as the surface of the handle 14. The neutral positionpermits improving the sealing of the button 16, because in neutralposition the button 16 fills practically all the opening 17 of thehandle 14. This sealing ensures least penetration of dirt or a liquid.Moreover, this neutral position of the button gives the user a morepleasing appearance and more security because the button 16 does notextend beyond the surface of the handle 14, and avoids any undesirableactuation of the button.

The kettle also comprises a thermostat, not shown, sensitive to thetemperature of the liquid. This thermostat is in communication with thechamber and is connected to control means adapted automatically to placethe lever 28 in inactive position when the temperature measured by thethermostat is greater than a predetermined threshold value and thus totrigger the switch to the open position. When the lever 28 is in theactive position, and the water is heated, the button 16 is in itsneutral position, as described above. When the lever 28 is returned fromits active position toward its inactive position by the control means,the button 16 remains in the neutral position during automatic stoppingof heating of the water, because the length L of the window of the leveris at least equal to the amplitude of clearance of the finger from theone position toward the neutral position.

According to another modified embodiment, the kettle is mounted on anelectrical supply base. The control means comprise a sensor adapted tobear against the supply base. These means are suitable to place thelever in inactive position when the kettle is not in place on its supplybase. In this case, the button 16 in neutral position remains flush withthe handle 14, as described above.

The invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described andshown, which are given only by way of example.

1. Electrical apparatus for heating liquid, comprising: a housing (10),electrical heating means, a switch (15) for triggering electricalheating means, a button (16) which is arranged in an opening (17)provided in the housing (10), and which has an actuating surface (18)and a finger (20) secured to each other, the button (16) being mountedswingably about an axis (X), between an on position and an off position,the actuating lever (28) of the switch (15) having a first end (30)connected to the finger (20) and a second end (32) connected to theswitch (15), the lever (28) being movable between an active position inwhich the switch is closed and an inactive position in which the switch(15) is open, the lever (28) being disposed in active position by theswinging of the button (16) into the on position and into inactiveposition by the swinging of the button (16) to the off position,characterized in that the button (16) is returned by at least oneresilient member (26) into an intermediate so-called neutral position,between the on position and the off position, and in that the connectionend (30) of the lever (28) and the finger (20) is a loose connectionadapted to permit free clearance of the button (16) between the onposition and the neutral position when the lever (28) is in activeposition, and a free clearance of the button (16) between the offposition and the neutral position when the lever (28) is in inactiveposition.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the actuatingsurface (18) of the button (16), in its neutral position, is flush withthe housing (10).
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the firstend (30) of the lever (28) comprises a window (34) in which the finger(20) is movable, the length (L) of the window (34) being at least equalto the amplitude of clearance of the finger (20) from the neutralposition toward respectively the on and off positions, and less than theamplitude of clearance of the finger (20) between the off position andthe on position.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which theresilient return member (26) is formed by a spring fixed to the button(16) and having arms (26 a, 26 b) whose respective ends bear against thehousing (10) in the neutral position of the button (16).
 5. Apparatusaccording to claim 1, in which the housing (10) comprises a handle (14)provided with the opening (17) in which is disposed the button (16). 6.Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the opening (17) and theactuating surface (18) of the button (16) are of oblong shape, and theswinging axis (X) is arranged in a transverse medial plane passingbetween the longitudinal ends (18 a, 18B) of said actuating surface(18).
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, which comprises a thermostatsensitive to the temperature of the liquid contained in the chamber,said thermostat comprising control means adapted to place the lever (28)in inactive position when the temperature measured by the thermostat ishigher than a threshold value.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, inwhich the control means comprise a sensor adapted to bear against anelectrical supply base of the apparatus and adapted to place the lever(28) in inactive position when the apparatus is not in place on thesupply base.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, which is constituted bya kettle.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the first end(30) of the lever (28) comprises a window (34) in which the finger (20)is movable, the length (L) of the window (34) being at least equal tothe amplitude of clearance of the finger (20) from the neutral positiontoward respectively the on and off positions, and less than theamplitude of clearance of the finger (20) between the off position andthe on position.